BE BRAVE
by malfoyforever
Summary: Based off a trailer for War Horse I saw recently, featuring several War Horse characters who see their loved ones go to war. Including the Lyons, the Narracotts, and Capt. Nicholls and his love. "BE BRAVE BE BRAVE BE BRAVE" THREESHOT.
1. I

**A/N: Okay, so to clarify two points before the story: **

**-David Lyons is the son of the Narracotts' landlord**

**-I've looked a few places, but I've never found the first name of the landlord, so let's just say it's 'Edward'**

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><p><strong>BE BRAVE<strong>

**(I)**

.

When his son David turns nineteen, Edward Lyons knows what's coming next, and dreads it, too.

Because even though he knows he'll be nothing but proud when David sets out to defend his country, he remembers all-too-well the sounds of war. The gunshots, the screams, the sound of approaching hooves. And he thinks of the sights and the smells, too – the blood, the desperation, the fear – the look of the dying men, the betrayal in his comrade's eyes as he shot them.

And he wants to forget. And that's something he has in common with Ted Narracott, except for the fact that he doesn't drink to forget.

No, he's better than that, more talented. He builds up his walls and he hides everything under a layer of egomania and spite and condescendence, because it's easier than showing everyone his vulnerable side. After all, he is the landlord's son, and he doesn't have feelings, right?

When his father dies and he gets all the land, he quickly establishes his authority and expects nothing more, nothing less from the farmers renting out his land. He makes allies and finds those who'd follow him anywhere, those who fear him and hate him under stony glowers and hands-on-hips.

David does the same, mind, because he's _much_ too similar to his father. He makes the girls swoon and is followed by his cronies and drives a nice car because he's the landlord's son – and one day, he'll be the one who's feared and hated. Like father, like son; it's not just a cliché.

So when David sits his father and mother down three weeks after his nineteenth birthday, Edward stays impassive and nods at the right moment and during the same time thinks to himself, BE BRAVE LYONS BE BRAVE – because it's not the same as when _he_ left. David is his _son_ and he watched him grow up and he's probably not been the best father, but he doesn't want to see him suffer through the horrors of war.

"You be careful, son," he tells David, guarded, and he lights his pipe. Beside him, Edward's wife chimes, "Yes, you'd better come back, David."

The nineteen-year-old laughs and gets to his feet, hugging his mother and clapping his father's back. "Yes, I'll be good, Mother, Father," he says, smiling, and Edward can't help but think that this is no laughing matter, that the light will be out of his eyes in no time. "Don't worry, I'll be brave. I'll make you proud."

I'M ALREADY PROUD, Edward thinks to himself, BUT YES, BE BRAVE BE BRAVE BE BRAVE, DAVID.

He knows the boy is going to need it.

.

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><p><strong><em>War Horse<em> was definitely better than some of the movies I've watched this year, and like _the King's Speech_, it leaves a nice feeling at the end. Good movie. So yeah, I figured I'd do a few fics on these, especially since I had insomnia last night and all my hyperactive mind could do was make up fics :/ **

**Anyways, this will be a three-shot. Next chapter will be Rose and Ted Narracott, and last chapter will be Captain Nicholls and an OC I've created. So... Please read and review, especially if you favourite/alert! :D **


	2. II

**BE BRAVE **

**(II)**

.

The afternoon of Albert's departure, Rose Narracott finds her husband drinking.

It's not an unusual sight, of course, in their house – but she hesitates in the threshold anyways, hands on hips. Because it's hard enough as it is, letting her baby go to war, without worrying about Ted's drinking habits as a plus. So she marches forward and swipes the bottle right out of his hands, watches as he totters backwards, stunned.

To be frank, she's stunned, too. In fact, she's always respected Ted, always respected his habits, no matter how nefarious they were to his health – and she wonders what's made her do it, this time. Maybe she's especially tired; maybe she's worried; maybe she's just fed up that Ted can't stay strong without alcohol for a tiny moment.

Pointing a finger at her husband with her other hand on her hip, Rose sets the bottle on the kitchen table with a resounding thud and scowls at him. "Ted Narracott," she says, deadly calm, and he looks down, "can't you just stop drinking for an _instant_?"

Ted's fists clench, and he breathes heavily. "But it's so_ hard_, Rosie," he mutters, and she kind of feels sorry for him. Kind of, because doesn't he know that it's hard for her, too, watching her Albie slip on an army uniform alongside Andrew Easton and knowing that he's going out to the great unknown?

She has this great urge to punch Ted, punch some sense into that stubborn head of his. But then she stops for a moment and thinks it's not going to work, yelling at him, because if anything, it's only going to make him more miserable and more convinced that she'll leave him at any chance – which she won't, of course. You know, she didn't marry Ted Narracott without reason.

So Rose takes his hand and puts it to her cheek and murmurs, "Be brave, Ted. I can know you can be brave for our Albie," and when she kisses him, it's almost as if when they were young, before they had Albert – before Ted went to war and got ruined by it. "Be brave, darling."

He hears her, she knows he does. She smiles and kisses him again and dusts her apron, making a move to dump off the bottle of liquor when she hears him call her name. "Only if you're there with me, Rosie," Ted says, and there's a little curve of his lip – a little smile.

Rose smiles, too. "Every step of the way," she replies, and that's a promise.

.

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><p><strong>TedRose is so freakin' cute, I swear... :D This was harder to write, though, I'm not sure why. And, hmm, for some reason Rose reminds me of Narcissa Malfoy from Harry Potter :/ **

**Next up is Capt. Nicholls/OC; and please do read and review, especially if you favourite/alert! **


	3. III

**A/N: Okay, so before we start, to clarify two points: **

**-Yes, Ava is the OC I've spoken about. She's actually also the older sister of Andrew Easton, Albert's best friend - the guy killed by the gas -, FYI. **

**-I'm not too sure of what Capt. Nicholls' first name is, so let's just call him 'James' :D **

**Oh, and BTW, thanks to White Lioness Spirit for reviewing, I'm glad you enjoyed this! :D **

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><p><strong>BE BRAVE <strong>

**(III) **

.

She cries at his departure, and quickly wipes the tears away, scowling. Ava Easton's promised herself that she wouldn't cry, ever, but she guesses that Captain James Nicholls, he's a special one. The only boy to make her cry to date, mind – _extremely _special. Blimey, and when she was small, her mother had worried that she was too much of a tomboy to find a suitable husband.

And now, the irony of it: she stands beside the rest of the army wives and desolate fiancées, stroking her silver ring. When James marches over, his hand over the Narracotts' horse – _Joey_, Andrew's told her – well, she thinks Joey is no longer Albert's. She wonders how Albie's holding up at this; because her little brother's best friend has always been a little sensitive.

When the sergeant leaves, she sees her chance – she runs over to James, holding up her dress, and smiles at him. "James," she says, breathless. "I didn't think I'd be able to say goodbye to you in time, what with Mum and the chickens, but here I am."

He smiles back, running a hand through his blond hair, and leans in to kiss her temple. Gesturing to her ring, he says, "We'll be married when I'll be back, my love, I promise-"

"-and have thirteen children, including twins that we'll name Mildred and Matthew," Ava replies, kissing him back. She wraps her arms around him and just breathes in his scent, without taking notice from the 'awws' of the village women – and why does she have the awful feeling that she'll never see him again?

She tells herself it's just her old pessimistic self talking, and pushes the horrid thought away. Because they're James Nicholls and Ava Easton and they're different from all those couples wrenched away by war – AND BE BRAVE BE BRAVE AVA, BE BRAVE BE BRAVE JAMES – because they _deserve_ a happily-ever-after.

Her grip on him tightens a tiny bit, and she whispers into his chest, "Come back, James, come back" – to which he answers, a little too quickly and a bit too uncertainly, "I will, Ava, you know that we're destined to be together" –

BE BRAVE AVA BE BRAVE DON'T YOU CRY –

Her eyes burn with tears, but because she's strong, she'll ignore them and master her fears. Because she has to be strong for James and because she has their joint future to think about. "I'll miss you," she murmurs, kissing him one last time. "I'll miss you," she repeats for emphasis, and takes his hand. "Take care, James."

James nods, pressing his lips together in an attempt to be strong. "I'll write, darling, you know I will," he whispers, putting his hand on her cheek before letting it fall to his side, limp. "I'll write – and before you know it, Ava, we'll be together again. Please, be brave, love, and have faith."

"I will," she promises, and he gives her a little wink from that pretty face of his and pulls Joey away, to which the horse vehemently resists. She watches him and his steed go, watches them until they're nothing but tiny blurs in the landscape.

And she tries to tell herself, BE BRAVE AVA EASTON BE BRAVE, but it's to no avail, and so the tears, they begin to fall.

.

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><p><strong>And that's the end of this fic :D I hope everyone who read it enjoyed it, and who knows, I might just turn up another fic in this fandom! :O <strong>

**For now, though, please read and review, especially if you favourite/alert! **


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